The main benefit of Arginine or L-Arginine is when it
changes into Nitric Oxide, in your body which causes blood vessel relaxation
(vasodilation). Evidence in many publications suggests that arginine may help treat
medical conditions that improve with vasodilation, such as chest pain,
clogged arteries (atherosclerosis), coronary artery disease, erectile
dysfunction, heart failure, and blood vessel swelling that causes
headaches. Not only that, arginine
also triggers the body to make protein, and has been studied
for wound healing, bodybuilding, and enhancement of sperm
production. Question...What do L-Arginine, car exhaust, dynamite and
fireflies have in common? The answer, Nitric Oxide, simply abbreviated NO. One nitrogen atom attached to one oxygen
atom. Nitric Oxide is a soluble, highly reactive gas produced in
certain animal and plant cells from the amino acid arginine, and is a
byproduct of combustion, as well as a product of natural chemical
reactions in our atmosphere. Nitric Oxide can be derived from
nitroglycerin as well, which is a major component of dynamite. Nitric
Oxide also plays a role in firefly (lightening bugs) flashing.
It's
a very prevalent molecule in the environment, but it has only been in
the last 20 years that scientists have discovered just how important it
is to your health. The many roles of Nitric Oxide, biological and
otherwise, are so impressive that it was dubbed "Molecule of the Year"
by Science magazine in 1992, followed by the 1998 Nobel Prize in
Medicine for its discovery as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular
system. FYI don't confuse nitric oxide (NO) with nitrous oxide (N2O),
or "laughing gas," the anesthetic gas used by dentists, which is two
nitrogen atoms attached to one oxygen. Ok back to Arginine, most of
the health benefits of Arginine are related to the fact that it's a
precursor to Nitric Oxide in your body. Arginine is the only known
nutritional substrate in your blood vessel lining available to
endothelial cells (cells lining the interior surface of your blood
vessels) for nitric oxide production. So your blood vessels require Arginine to synthesize nitric oxide.
Nitric
Oxide has been shown to enhance blood flow and help you maintain
optimal blood pressure. Nitric Oxide signals the smooth muscle cells in
your blood vessels to relax, so that your vessels dilate and your
blood flows more freely. This helps your arteries stay free of plaque.
When you have inadequate Nitric Oxide, your risk for coronary artery
disease increases. It also operates as a signaling molecule in your
brain and immune system. If your blood is flowing freely, then nearly
every physiological process will function better. If your blood is
sluggish, then important cells and nutrients can't reach the areas that
need them. In addition to improving blood flow and vessel elasticity,
L-Arginine plays other important biological roles it:
- Helps get rid of ammonia: A toxic waste product. Your cells release nitrogen all the time from the normal process of repairing and replacing damaged cells, and this nitrogen combines with hydrogen to form ammonia.
- Assists in producing other amino acids: creatine, L-proline, and L-glutamate. Creatine is important to muscle energy and proper nervous system function. L-proline is important for collagen synthesis and the healing of wounds. L-glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter, key to brain function, especially left hemisphere functions (logic and reasoning, language, computational skills, learning and memory).
- Promotes good sexual function: for both men and women. Increased microcirculation in genital tissues results in stronger erections and better sexual responsiveness, by the same nitric oxide mechanism.
- Has endocrine effects: Simply put it promotes the release of two important hormones, human growth hormone (HGH) and prolactin
L-Arginine combined with L-Citrulline's effectiveness has also been studied in combination with
antioxidant supplements and the results from these studies is even more
dramatic. The introduction of antioxidants to the already powerful
effect of L-Arginine and L-Citrulline allows for these two supplements
to better do their jobs because the antioxidants deactivate or
neutralize the effects of the free radicals in the body, allowing for
the easier production of Nitric Oxide. So, Nitric Oxide production is
the catalyst for improved blood flow and lower blood pressure.
Furthermore, studies have shown that when the body has done a good job
getting rid of a significant amount of free radicals, antioxidants can
then restore the health of the cells that produce Nitric Oxide (the
endothelial cells) and can create a better defense against future
attacks on our immune system.
So
here we are, L-Arginine for Better Sex... Well 75% of men with heart
disease have erectile problems. It's understandable, when you think
about it in terms of one major underlying factor, impaired circulation.
If the blood vessels to your heart are damaged, your heart doesn't get
optimal blood flow. If the blood vessels in your sex organs are
restricted, your "flag pole ain't so stiff !" Don't forget the side effects you may be suffering could be from all of those pharmaceutical concoctions you may be taking to manage your heart disease. It makes sense, then, that
Nitric Oxide levels are a major factor in sexual function, and the
research has proved this. In fact, this is how a leading ED drug treats
erectile problems, it increases nitric oxide production, relaxing your
blood vessels, which increases blood flow to your organs, but, the
price you might pay for using those pharmaceutical ED drugs and ignoring the real cause of restricted blood flow is dangerous indeed. Along with a bunch of
potentially dangerous pharmaceutical medicine side effects. Including the chance of heart disease, stroke and
sterility. Conditions that clearly will not help you toward a long,
healthy life. L-arginine increases the action of nitric oxide, similar
to ED drugs, but WITHOUT the potentially dangerous side effects. Two
recent studies have shown that L-Arginine can be particularly effective
when used in combination with two other natural agents:
- L-arginine and Pycnogenol resulted in significant improvement in sexual function in men with ED, according to this 2003 study. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12851125.
- L-arginine and Yohimbine were found to increase sexual arousal in a 2002 study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12187545 of postmenopausal women with sexual arousal disorder.
Some over-the-counter and prescription medications are used in conjunction with arginine, including ibuprofen for treating migraine headaches and fish oil for reducing infections, notes MedlinePlus. Arginine has been proposed for other uses including altitude sickness, high blood pressure, the common cold and sexual dysfunction in women, notes the NYU Langone Medical Center. Some individuals use L-Arginine topically on the skin to improve blood flow to the extremities or reduce the healing time for injuries.
In
terms of dosage, a pilot study published in the Journal European
Urology found 6 grams of L-Arginine combined with 6 mg of yohimbine was
successful in treating men with ED. Nitric oxide is also believed to
play a role in women's sexual function. (Musicki et al, 2009). Since
Nitric Oxide is a gas, you can't just pop a pill to increase your NO
level. You are very dependent on your body's synthesis of this gas from
the raw materials you take in through diet. Make sure you get enough
high quality protein and a diet rich in organic whole foods that are loaded with antioxidants, and not pesticides. If you suspect you may be deficient in Arginine, you might consider the added protection of a supplement but it is my STRONG recommendation to first try to obtain it through normal dietary food sources, it is the best way to experience the benefits of this nutrient. Foods high in protein are also usually high in arginine. According to the Mayo Clinic, some good animal sources of the amino acid include meat, chicken and dairy products. Beef flank steak, for instance, has about 1,200 mg of arginine per 3.5-oz serving, according to traditionaloven.com. A chicken breast has about 1,000 mg in the same serving size, while cheddar cheese has about 950 mg. Some of the foods highest in Arginine are:
- Seeds (sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, caroway)
- Seaweed (spirulina is an excellent source)
- Nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts)
- Coconut
- Eggs and Whey
- Beans
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